Better Than Sticky Toffee Pudding!

Subscribe To

Thursday, February 28, 2013

I admit it. Yes, you probably have seen this card before. Time got away from me as I was doing some last minute packing for the UK. So, I pulled out a not-very-oldie-but-a-goodie. I created this for the challenge with Art Glitter. Using their super ultra fine glitters in yummy colors, I did the double-glitter technique on this triptych of the Heart Whimsey stencil from Dreamweavers. Such a pretty stencil, and perfect for a variety of occasions...Valentine's Day, birthdays, wedding, anniversary, friendship.

I'm leaving for the airport in twenty minutes, so here's the list of the rest of the team. They've had more time, so you should see some incredible creations:

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Do
you believe in unicorns? Do you think they are wild? Well, either way,
they are being featured today in my post for Woodware UK. Our challenge
was Animals...Wild or Not. I am using this as the perfect opportunity to post a
card that I created for the Stampendous catalog over a year ago using
the Cling Medieval Unicorn with the Calligraphy Sampler. Using a tone on tone look for the focal panel, I added color and shading with a range of gray markers. There is an Elegant Border embossed in Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel at the bottom of the card, as well as a Damask sticker, coated in Versamark ink, and embossed in Shabby Pink to match. A few Mark Richards crystals adorn the unicorn's elegant collar for a bit of added bling.

Don't forget...the rest of the team will be posting their wild and not so wild creations on the Woodware UK blog all of this week!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

I am still across the "pond" this week, and my hubby has joined me in the UK as well.

Writing this a couple weeks in advance is a bit surreal, but I wanted to make sure that plenty of "Love and Friendship" is plastered over my blog while I'm gone. Lol. Remember, it is the Dreamweaver monthly challenge, and we want YOU to play along! Just link your creations to the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to louisehealy@sbc.net (Louise is taking over this duty while Lynell is away).

My card features the Tall Poppy stencil, introduced last year. I have pasted it on the card front with Matte Black Embossing Paste. When this was dry (approx. 30 minutes), I pasted again with Crackle Embossing Paste. This leaves a cracked (duh) and white finish, with the black showing through the cracks. Then I replaced the stencil on top, and using Splendor inks, I added color and shading with stencil brushes. You can leave it at that, or you can cover the whole piece with large granulated clear embossing powder, and heat until melted. This provides a more ceramic look.

Along with the bright colored papers, I also added a shrink plastic sentiment with the Long Friend stencil. So, you've seen what I can do, now show us what YOU can do! Not sure yet? Visit the rest of the team for more inspiration:

Think you can do better? Prove it! Submit samples and info for the Dream Team designer call. We want some new blood on the team. New ideas. New inspiration. And a new opportunity for YOU! All the info can be found HERE.

Monday, February 18, 2013

I should be about to the end of my first week in the UK, and I'm assuming, having a fabulous time! I know that I did last year, and I feel so fortunate that I get to go again. This time my hubby is coming over for the second half of my trip for a little sightseeing, some history, and a lot of amazing food!

Meanwhile, back on my blog, I'm posting this creation for the Shining Silver challenge. I created this using the Dreamweaver Double-glitter technique for the focal point, some misting on the background, and a machine embossed sentiment. Here's the basics:

Double Glitter:

1. Cut piece of double-sided mounting paper to fit card panel. Remove film on one side and adhere to card. Remove film on top, and set aside.
2. Rub soap on the back of the Love Bird Hearts stencil. Brush off excess, and place soap side down on top of adhesive.
3. Pour first glitter color (Stampendous Western Blue)over surface, and rub into the adhesive for complete coverage. Pour off excess and save. Brush and flick off all extra remaining glitter due to static.
4. Turn panel over, and pull panel from stencil.
5. Pour second color of glitter (Stampendous Silver)over remaining adhesive, and rub into surface. Brush off excess and you're done!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day! My good friend, Lynell, and I are in the UK, most likely having a blast in London. Hopefully, not fighting our way through snow and rain, but hey...it is London, so damp is not an option.

Meanwhile, back at the blog, the Dream Team are playing with the "Love and Friendship" theme for February. How many Valentine's have you created this month? Link them up on the Dream It Up! blog for a chance to win this month's prize.

My post this week once again features the newly-released Ruffled Heart, with some super-fun papers from My Minds Eye's "Dwell" collection. I traced the hearts on the papers and cut them out (stack and cut...less time!), scored them through the center, layered and adhered them on top of one machine embossed heart. (Need a reminder on this process? Click HERE.) To make the design on that heart stand out more, I inked the stencil with a shade of ink just darker than the paper. This deeper color become letter-pressed into the paper. I used the same trick with the Forever Friends strip as well. A flower and rhinestone finish off this fun friend card.

So, do the blog run-around and visit the rest of the team for more Love and Friendship:

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

This week I will actually be in the UK and playing in person with the Woodware UK team! So, I'm writing this before my trip, trying to stay ahead of all of my responsibilities. Such a heavy word for something that can be so enjoyable and rewarding!

Our challenge for this week was to create wedding stationery. For most people, this would be a whole lot of white, on top of more white, but not for me. Weddings have changed so much over the years. So many are "themed", so many are "destination", and so many use mixes of color that our grandparents would have been horrified by. Thus...red, black, and gray!

This portfolio would make a wonderful gift for a bride, or a terrific addition to a complete wedding look...Save the Dates, Invites, RSVPs, Thank Yous, etc. In this case, it is simply a set of notes with envelopes, tucked into little pockets, with the bride's new monogram. With Dreamweaver Stencils' individual monograms, or using their Calligraphy Alphabet, these can be easily personalized. You could even have both the bride and the grooms initial with the last name initial.

The process for creating this is predominantly machine-embossing, which is easy-peasy. Just run several panels through your embossing machine with the correct sandwich technique:

1. Place the Art Nouveau Background or monogram stencil face down on base plate.
2. Place card panel face down on stencil.
3. Place embossing mat on top.
4. Place TWO clear plates on top.
5. Run through machine. Do not force it!

For the gray panels, I placed the stencil over the embossed surface, and daubed Versamark ink over the design, removed the stencil, and embossed with Stampendous Aged Black Embossing Enamel. A few of the monograms were done the same way, but with either Silver or Black embossing enamel. The monogram on the cover was actually a piece of Mercart colored aluminum, machine embossed, and the color sanded off of the raised letter.

Of course, you could create the entire portfolio in all white, maybe with various textures and sheens, and that would be beautiful as well. As for me, I like a little color in my life. That's why I created this for ME! No wedding necessary for this project. A charming gift for any occasion! Even just because!

Have you seen what the rest of the team have created for this challenge? Each day a different one of the girls posts something fabulous, so don't miss out! Make your visit to the Woodware UK Blog one of your morning priorities!

Curious to know where you can purchase these fabulous products? Check out your local stores as listed on the Woodware UK website.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

I have been soooo busy preparing for my trip to the UK beginning next week, that I almost forgot to make the hubby his Valentine card! So, in the Pampered Stamper's usual fashion...I'm going to kill two birds with one stone (what a ghastly expression!).

Fortunately for me, this month's challenge on the Dream It Up! blog is "Love and Friendship", and since most cards are for those reasons, there should be no excuses for YOU not to play along this month. Hint, hint...there are prizes involved!

I chose to play with the newly-released Ruffled Heart, and for that manly touch, I added an ink-distressed and machine-embossed Houndstooth background.

For the center of the heart, I pieced in a section of Woodware UK's new background design by Jane Gill...Men We Love. Stamped with Jasmine Mixed Media ink from Clearsnap on black cardstock, it has that oh-so-trendy chalkboard look for added punch.

Now go hop around to the Dream Team blogs today, and be prepared to feel
the "love and friendship". Then go off to your crafty space and create
something full of love and hearts and mush for all of your sweet someones...and then link your creations to the linky tool on the Dream It Up! blog. Or, email your pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com for a chance to win a fab stencil prize of your own. Here's the team list:

Big announcement! If you haven't noticed the post at the top of the page, then go and check it out. The Dream Team is looking to add to our team. Read through the info linked there, or email me at phornschu@yahoo.com for complete info. You have until February 28, 2013 to submit your samples and details for consideration.

However, there is a great sentiment, perfect for cheering up a friend, a get well card, or just as a fun note (without inking the bottom portion of the expression).

I used Bazzill Dotted Swiss cardstock, which I highlighted the dots by running my dark yellow dye ink pad over the surface. This same color was used to stamp the final portion of the focal image. The main portion was stamped with teal dye ink to match the scrap of beautiful paper on the side. As an added highlight, I added a strip of Mark Richards Nailheads on the right side.

The team would love for you to play along with the sketch challenge. Just add the links to your creations on the linky tool HERE. While you are there, check on the latest daily creations from the rest of the Woodware UK girls.